Controller.



- No. 873,805. PATBNTBD DEC. 17, 1907.

E. W. STULL.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED IAB..31. 1906.

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INVENTOR Emmett V. Siu-H WITNESSES PATBNTED DEC. 17, 1907.

E. W. STULL.

CONTROLLER.

APPLIOATIOK FILED MAB.31.1906.

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I NVENTOR EmmeUW shill A-rromwev WITNESS Es E; w. STULL; CONTROLLER.

PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31.1906.

WIINESSES 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

v Fig.5.

INVENTOR Emmett W. stuu V D-STATES PATENT OFFICE. f 1

EMMiar'r wfsruLL, or nonwoon, onio, 'ASSIG'NOR 'ro aL-Lis-onAL ER'scoMPAN A eon To' all whom it may concern:

TPORATION OF NEW JERSEY, AND THE BULLOCK ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

A conroaarron or OHIO-3 no. erases Be it known that I, EMMETT W, S'ruLL,

j citizen of the United States, residing at Her- Wood, in the county of Hamilton and State of .Ohio, have invented, certain new and use ful Improvements in Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact speci-' fication.

My invention relates to controllers for electric motors and particularly to motor controllers for electric railway work.

One of the objects of my invention is to pre'ventfthe sparking or destructive arcing 1 which often occurs between the fingers of the controller, and renders the fingers'unlit for further use..

Another object of my invention is to con centrate and properly direct the lines of force from the blowout magnet at the desired points, and to diminish the reluctance of the magnetic blowout circuit.

Another object is to rovidea more eilicient arrangement of blowout coils.

A further object is to prevent-any arc which may be formed between the fingers from running or drawing-back from the contacting ends of the fingers toward their sup? ports. This has heretofore been a serious defect in controllers, for when the arc had thus drawn back it was out of the field of the blowout magnet, and 'had nothing to hinder it from entirely destroying that'part of the controller. A still further object is to prevent imroper handling of the controller byprovidmg a novel interlocking arrangement between the controlling drum and the reversing switch so that the latter can be moved only when the former is in a'predeternrined or off position, and, if desired, so that the former cannot be movedwhen the latter is in a predetermined, neutralor. as position.

My invention in one of its aspects consists of a novel arrangement for preventing spark ing or destructive arcing at the controller contacts. This I accomplish by providing a lurality of blowout magnets magnetically in parallel and supplying a common magnetic circuit, the ends of the magnet cores.

forming bearings for the controller'drumi It also consists in the controllerdrum as a parto'f. the mag netic. circuit, and the .proper directingand concentrating of'tlle lines-of force at the de- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed nmh'si. ioe. Serial na'soaozv.

points where t the use of the shaft of i CONTROLLER.

raten eefn a 1.7, 1907.

sired. ei'rcuit-breakin 5 points of thecontroller and the (l'n.r.i\.= shng or the reluct-anc eof'the blowout magnetic circuit by inserting. lugs of magnetic material in the controller rum adjacent to such points, which plugs serve as separate and i di'vidual pole-pieces for the blowout magnets and as olar projections or extensions from the shat of the controller.

drum. This feature maybe used alone, or in combination with anotherffeature, which consists in including part of the controller casing in the blowout magnetic circuit, and

having, as separate and individual polepieces, paramagnetic extensions from the casing to oints in proximity to the arcing or circuit-breaking points of the controller, thereby better directin and concentrating the magnetic lines of orce at the desired points and still further diminishing the reictance of the blowout magnetic circuit. 'My lIlVBHUOII HIlSO prevents any arcs which may form between the fingers from drawing back .along the fingers toward their supports.

This is accomplished by means of a screen or shield of insulating refractory material between. the supports for the fingers and the. e fingers make contact with.

the controlling drum. c

Another feature oiiny invention is the inclosing ofthe controller drum and the points of arcing in a box or casing of insulating refractory material 'My invention in another of its aspects consists of a controller provided with a plurality of s ring pressed arms coact'ingwith the con 'trol ing drum andthe reversing switch to control the movement of the latter, and if desired, of the former also. 4

Oons lered 1n a more specific aspect my 1nvention comprises a controller in 'which'there are two spring pressed arms coacting with the notch'plates of the controlling drum and the reversing switch respectivel to prevent movement of the reversing switc except in a predetermined or .ofl position of the controlling drumfand if desired, to prevent movement of the controlling drum ina pre' de rein, ng switch;

Other features of my invention will more clearly appear in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, and will be specifically pointed-outin the appended claims.

m'ined,.1ieutral or o position of the Figure" 1 is an elevation of my improved controller with thefront half of the controller casing remoyed, and with some of the parts in section. Fig. 2 1s. a plan view of the controller with the cover and handles renetic circuit.

-t-lon on the line 3'3 of Fig. 1 and shows the general arrangement of the blowout mag- Fig. l is an elevation of part of the front half of the controller casing looking from the inside and with the arc deflector plates removed. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the arc deflector plates of the controller, and, Fig. 6 is a detail showing one of the plugs of magnetic material in the controller drum.

In the drawings A is the controller drum, movable by the usual handle A and provided with contacts B with which the spring contact fingers C coact to vary the connections between the supply circuit and the controlled devices, which may be electric motors. The'. drum A is mounted on but insulated from a shaft D of iron or other magnetic material. Surroundin the drum is a box or casing E, E, E of insulating and refractory material such as prepared asbestos which may be covered with mica. The parts E and E of this box or casing are fastened in place on the main controller, the part E forming a screen or shield between the ciredit-breaking points of the controller and the supports for the contact fingers. The part- E, is mounted on the front part G of the (land the contacts B may be made when the drum is rotated. Should any are form between adjacent fingers and attempt to run back along the fingers towards their supports, the shield or screen E through which the fingers extend and which is in the path of the arc will act to cool and thereby break said arc. Thereby destructive and dangerous arcing between the fingers is avoided. If desired, instead of having the fingers C extend through openings in shield E, they may extend around the edge of said shield, though. with such an arrangement, the absoluteprevention of the drawii'ig back of the arcs would not be secured.

The main controller casing is formed in two parts, a backpart G of iron or other magnetic material, a-nd a front part G of wood or other insulating material, and has a cover- VV, of brass or other non-magnetic material.

As shown in Fig. 3, the front part G, which placed coils I I to form blowout magnets.

strengthened by metallic bands 1 at the top and bottom, both inside and outside. Extending from the iron part G of the controllercasing are two cores H H 011 which are These coils maybe connected in any desired manner. From the cores H H and fastened l thereto in any desired manner as by screws h project extensions H H which serve not i only as paths for the magnetic flux but also as bearings for the iron shaft D of 'the controllcr. drum. This controller, shaft also forms part of the magnetic -c1rcu 1 t for the two blowout magnets, which are so wound as to make the extensions H H of the same polarity. Plugs K of iron or other magnetic material are embedded in the controller drum A. and extend inward nearly to the insulation around the iron shaft 1) of said drum and outward toward the contacts B, butare not mounted on and do not touch the shaft itself. These plugs are located so as to be just beneath the circuit-breaking points of the controller or the points where the contact fingers C leave the contac-ts'B and are riveted to small plates K also of magnetic material, these plates serving to spread out the magnetic held across the whole width of the contact finger. The plates and attached plugs are removably fastened to the contact segments ".B, as by screws it. These plugs there-- fore are common pole pieces of the two blowout magnets, and serve individually to concentrate and directthelines of force at those points respectively where, arcing is liable to occur and collectively to diminish the reluctance of the magnetic circuit.

For still better directing and concentrating the lines of force at the proper points, and further diminishing the reluctance of the magnetic circuit, strips of iron may be mounted inside of the front half G of the controller casing, which when this casing is in place bear againstthe back half G of the casing and are practically magnetically continuous therewith. For better insulation the ends of the strips L are protected by insularion Z. These strips extend from the iron part of the casing, which is part of the blowout magnetic circuit, around the inside of the wooden part of the. casing until they are over the ends of'fingers C. At Z they are bent. inwardly to bring them nearer the ends of fingers C. These strips are the other common pole-pieces of the blowout magnets, of opposite polarity to the plugs KI Thus as shown in Fig. 3 the breaking of the circuitv between fingers C and contacts B occurs ina strong magnetic field between the ends of strips J and the plugs K. This field is excited by the two coils I I magnetically in parallel, and thepath of the flux is from the cores H H to the casing G, strips L, across the air gaps to plugs K, shaft D, extensions i those between the strips L and the plugs K,

In the right mg is a IeVQISlIlg switch M of any in which gaps the circuit breaking takes place. There is one strip L for each linger C and there may be plugs K at each end of each contact B as shown in Fig. 3, so that the proper blowout action may be obtained at the circuit breaking points in whichever direction the controller 'drum is rotated. The various contacts 'Bard arranged in any desired manner around the shaft D, the con nections and arrangements of these contacts forming no part of my present invention.

Extending from the part E of the insulating box around the controlling drum are plates T of insulating and refractory material, such as asbestos covered with mica. These plates are spaced apart by insulating tubes t, the whole being held together by bolts t, shown as three in number, passing through the tubes and the plates. These plates when in place extend inwardly between each contact finger and the adjacent ones, one being shown in Fig. 3 below the contact finger 0, thus serving to prevent the are from one contact finger from striking.

H These plates arefastened together andzto the plate E as over to another finger.

shown in Fig. 5 and are placed against the inturnedends of strips'L on the inside of the z,=-;j front half G of the controller casing as shown "-in Fig. 3, being spaced from the casing by bushings U and the strips L. This set of plates may be held in place by any desired means as by bolts.

hand side of the controller casdesired type and movable by the handle M. On the shaft of the reversing switch is a notch plate N and on shaft D is a notch plate 0. These notch lates are placed near the upper ends of their respective shafts. Pivoted to the casing G are two arms P and Q carrying rollers p and at their free ends. These rollers engage the notch plates N and ,0 respectively. The two arms P and Q are in the same plane and are preferably thrust apart by a spring B. One of the arms Q carries a projection S arranged to engage with the other arml whenever an attempt is made to move the reversing switch while the controlling drum is not in off position, and if desired, whenever an attempt is made to move the drum while the reversing switch is in off position. In Fig. 2 the controlling drum and the reversing switch are both shown in off positions. The reversing switch can now be moved to either forward or backward position. The length of the projections may be such that on an attempt to rotate the drum with the reversing switch in neutral or off position, the roller g leaves notch '0 in notch plate O- before the projection S engages P, and 1n such a case the drum could be rotated withthe reversing switch in any of its three positions; But preferably the length of the projection S is such that by its engagement with the arm P while the roller q is still in notch 0, the drum is prevented from rotation while the reversing switch is in the position shown in Fig. 2,. However, in either construction, if the reversing switch is moved either to forward or backward position so that the roller p is in either of notches n or a, the drum can be moved freely. But if the drum is moved out of ofl' position, the roller rides on the periphery of notch plate O,'and arm Q and projection S move toward the right. When this is the position of the parts, the reversing switch is locked against movement, for on attempting to move it, arm P engages projection S before the roller 1) can pass over shoulder N and thereby further movement of the reversing switch is prevented. Thus it is impossible for the reversing switch to be thrown except when the controlling drum is in ofi position. v

- Although I have described my invention in its preferred form, it is obvious that many equivalents of the various parts shown and described may be used without departing from-the spirit and scope of myinvention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the exact structure shown and described,

-but set up in my claims the broad novel features invented by me.

1. In a controller, a controlling drum, a shaft of magnetic material therefor, a blowthe controllershaft as part of the magnetic circuit, and plugs of magnetic material inserted in said drum.

2. In a controller, a controlling drum, a shaft of magnetic material therefor, a blowout magnet not concentric with ,the drum and having the controller shaft as part of the magnetic circuit, and plugs of magnetic material inserted in said drum adjacent to the points where arcing is liable to occur.

3. In a controller, a controllin drum, a shaft of magnetic materialthere or, a pluout magnet outside of. the drum and having rality of blowout magnets not concentric with the drum and having the controller shaft as part of the magneticfcircuit, and plugs of magnetic material inserted in sa controlling drum.

4. In a controller, shaft of magnetic material therefor,

a plu rality of blowout magnets outside of the drum and having the controller shaft as part a controlling drum, a

of the magneticcircuit, and plugsof magnetic material inserted in said controlling drum adjacent to the circuit-breaking pomts of the controller. I 1

5. In a controller, a controlling driim, a

shaft, radial pole-pieces'carried by said flrum adjacent to the ends of the contactse ents of the drum, and a plurality of coils for mag- 'the controller;

. 6. In ja controller, a controlling druin,a

netizing said pole-pieces, said coils being en- 3 shaft of magnetic material therefor, polef ergized whenever current shaft offinagnetic material therefor, a blow- .out magnet havin'g'ithe controller shaft as part of its inagneticfcircuit, and radibl pole'w pieQQSfia-rried by'said drun'i adjacent 'to the terial between said support'and said rum,

'said fingers extending through the; shield,

end fi; he contact segnints of the drum. -7. In ,controller, a controlling drum,- a shaft of nagneticnnaterial therefor, a casing 'of. mag tcffnaterial for the controller, a

. and the casing for parts of ts magnetic cir- 'ir iagnet having the controllershaft cuit, extensions from said .casing to -points adjacent to and omone sideof the arcing points of said controller, and plugs of magthe opposite side of said arcing points.

S. In a controller, a controller dr'uin, a

shaft of'n'iagneticifrnaterial therefor,-a casing; of magnetic material for the controller, a plurality of blowout magnets having the shaft and the casing for parts of their magnetic cir-- cuits, and plugs 'of inagneti'cniaterial in said ,druni near the circuit-breaking-points of the controller. 4

9. In "a controller, a controller "drum, a shaft otniagneticniaterial therefor, a-casingof magnetic material "for the controller, a plurality ofblo v-out magnets having the shaft and the casing for parts of their magnetic cir-.

cuit, extensions of inagnetic material from .said casing to points ad acent to'and on one side of the arcing points ofsaid'controller, and plugs of inagnetic' mater al in said drain on the opposite side ofsaid arcing points.

10. In a controller, a controlling drumfa is flowing through; i being mounted in said'drui'n an pieces adjacent to said shaft, said (pole-pieces 4 insulated! 3 from said shaft, and'av-blowout magnet 'folj' magnetizing saicl polepieces -.11'. In. a controller, a controlling 'dru m, contact fingers 'coacting therewith, 'alsupport for said fingers, and a shield'of refracflor ,ina-

12,- In a controller, a controlling drum,

' contact fingers cooperating therewith, a support for" said fingers, a casing-of insulation drum and said support, said casing being provided with openings through which the fingers project. j

surrounding said drain and between said saiddruin, a blowout inagnet, 'extensions zfroin one end of said magnet core to points onthe outsideof'said casing adjacent to the arcing'points of the controller.

lei-Ina controller, a controller drum, a casing of refractory material surrounding the drum, a plurality, of blowout magnets, a

main controller casing forinin con n 'onpart of the-magnetic circuit for said blowout inagnets, polar extensions froin said main casing to points on the outside'iof said refractory casing and adjacent to the'arcing points of' the controller.[ I In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in'tlic presence of two Witnesses.

EMMETT \VQSTULL. Witnesses:

Giro. B. Sorrigar, FRED .J. KiNs a-Y. 

